Nut device



Patented May 12, 1942 UNITED STATE s PATENT. OFFICE NUT DEVICE Howard J.Murphy, Greenwood,

to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cam- Mass., assignor bridge, Mass,a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 9, 1940, Serial No.328,723-

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in nut devices of the type.adapted to be snapped into assembly with a supporting panel throughanopening from a position on one side only of the panel.

Referring to the drawing, in which I have illustrated a preferredembodiment ofmy inven- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a supporting panelwith one of my improved nut members assembled therewith;

s Fig. 2 is a-bottom plan view of the installation shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line- 33 of Fig. 1 andshowing a plate member 58-,

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of my improved nut member per se; and

Fig. 8 is a View of the nut member turned 90 from its position in Fig.'7.

Referring in detail to my preferred nut installation illustrated in'Figs. 1-4, I have shown a nut member I in snap fastener engagement witha supporting panel 2 through an opening 3. Tne opening 3 is preferablyrectangular in shape so as to cooperate with the nut member in a mannerto be described. A part such as a plate member 4 is secured insuperposed relation to the panel 2 by a screw or bolt (Figs. 3 and 4)having a head 5 engaging the plate 4 and. a threaded shank 6 extendingthroughthe plate 4 of the opening 3 of the support into threadedengagement with the nut device. The nut member, as hereinafter morefully described, includes portions engaging the upper surface I. of thesupport 2, a base portion having bolt-engaging means 'insertatblethrough the opening 3 and yieldable attaching portiims adapted to besnapped through the opening 3 .to engage behind the lower surface 8 ofthe supporting panel to secure the nut member to the panel.

Referring in detail to my first form of improved nut member, I haveshown one made entirely from one piece of sheet metal and havportion 9;The body portion 9 preferably comprises a rectangular base 10 having asmaller area thanthe opening 3 so as to be movable through the opening.The base has an opening II for receiving a threaded member. The metalsurrounding the opening is shaped to form a! helical wall l2 conformingto the pitch of the threaded member so as to coact with the same. Thebox-like portion 9 hasfour walls in upstanding relation to the base l0and separated at their side edges. I The walls comprise a pair ofoppositely disposed leg portions l3-'-l3 integrally joined. to oppositeedges of thebase I0. Each of the legs l3 has a width which issubstantially equal to that of the base edge to which it is joined.outwardly extending portions I l-l 4 are provided at the ends of thelegs l3-I3 away from the base "Ill for engagement with the 'uppersurface 1 of the panel 2 to limit movement of the nut, member throughthe opening 3. The

other set of oppositely disposed walls are in the form of attachingportions |5--l5, which, in

my preferred construction, are integrally joined to opposed side edgesof the base Ill between the legs l3--l3 and which have free edges l6 attheir outer ends facing away from the base it and adapted to act asshoulder means for engagement behind the lower surface panel 2. It willbe noticed-that 'the normaldispassed through the aperture 3, at whichtime the ing a substantially rectangular box1ike body" tance between thelegs l3-l3 is less than the length of the corresponding axis of theopening 3 while the distance between the attaching portions |5 l5 isnormally greaten than the length of the other axis of the opening 3.-

Assembly of my nut device with the supporting panel is carried out bymoving the bodyportion 9 of the nut device through the opening 3 of thesupport until the outwardly extending portions 15-45 engage the surfaceI of the support. During this action the attaching portions |5-l5 engagethe walls of the opening; and are contracted thereby until the edgeslE-IG have attaching portions expand, as a result of the resiliency ofthe metal, to engage the shoulders l8 behind the lower surface 8 of thepanel. The nut member is now secured in attachment to the 7 panel andfixed against movement relative to the panel during tightening of thescrew.

Thus by my invention I'have provided an inexpensive nut device easilyattachable to a sup portingpanel from one side of the panel.

'Although'l have illustrated anddescribed a.

preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limitedthereby because the scope of my invention is best defined by thefollowing claims.

8. of the supporting lation to the plane thereof aperture to hold thethread-engagin ment with a bolt to be extended through said bolt beingengaged therewith.

I claim:

1. A one-piece-nut device having a base, said base having integralbolt-engaging means, leg

portions extending from said base in angular reand having means forengaging one side of a support, and yieldable attaching portionsextending from said base having means for engaging an opposite side ofsaid support; said attaching portions constructed and arranged forsnapping through an aperture in a support on movement of said basethrough said nut in place prior to a bolt being engaged therewith.-

2. A nut device having a base, said base having means for cooperativeengagebase, leg P tions extendingirom said base in angular relationtouthe plane thereof having laterally extending means v ends forengaging one side of a support, and atat their outermost tachingportions extending from said base intermediate said leg portions vandhaving their outermost free-edges adapted to engage an opj inglaterallyext'ending means at the 'posite side of said support, saidattaching portions being yieldable so as to pass through an aperture ina support and then expand whereby said free edges hold the nut 3. .Anutdevice having a base, said base having thread-engaging means forcooperative engagement with a bolt to be extended through said base, apair of oppositely disposed leg portions extending from sideedges ofsaid base out of the plane 01' said base, said leg portions havinglaterally extending means at their outermost ends for engaging one sideof a support, and op-I posed yieldable attaching portions extending fromthe side edges or said base intermediate said legportions, saidattaching portions having shoulder means for engaging an opposite sideof in place prior to a said support, said attaching portions beingconthrough said base, a pair of oppositely tractible and expansiblesoas' to snap through an f aperture in a support whereby said shouldershold the nut in place prior to a bolt being engaged therewith.

4. A nut device having a rectangular base, said base havingthread-engaging means for cooperative engagement with a bolt to beextended disposed of said portions and havoutermost ends for engagingone side of a support, and oppo'sed' attaching portions extending fromside edgesofsaid base intermediate said leg portions, said attachingportions being yieldable and having shoulder means normally disposedlaterally beyond the marginallimits 01' said base for engaging anopposite side 01' said support, said at.- taching portions adapted to'besnapped through an aperture in a support and hold the nut in place priorto a bolt being engaged therewith. 1

5. A nut device having a substantially rectangular box-like body portioncomprising a base having thread-engaging meansfor cooperative engagementwith a bolt to be extended through said base and side wallsextendingupwardly from said base, saidside walls being separated at their sideedges, a pair oi oppositely disposed side walls having laterallyextending means at their outer ends for engaging the upper side of a-supporting panel, and the other pair 01' oppositely disposed side wallshaving shoulder means disposed lat--. erally beyond the marginal limitsof said base, and said last-mentioned side walls being yieldable tocontract during insertion 01 said box-like body, through an aperture ofsaid supporting leg portions extending from'the .edges base at opposedsides thereof, said leg extending out of the plane 01' said base paneland then expand to move said shoulder means behind the lower sideof'said panel.

HOWARD J.

